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Fitbit's most affordable device yet, the $59.95 Zip, offers wireless syncing over Bluetooth with PCs and iPhones, something previous Fitbit gadgets could never do. It's water resistant as well, a feature found in many competing exercise products. Previous Fitbit users may miss the skills the Zip can't tackle, namely sleep tracking and recording stairs climbed. Other fancier gadgets, such as the Jawbone Up, and Fitbit's own Fitbit One and the upcoming Fitbit Flex, trump the Zip in terms of features, but are double the price. In a nutshell, the Fitbit Zip is a simple and less pricey way to get onboard the Fitbit training wagon.

Design Encased in its silicone sleeve, the Fitbit Zip is larger than both the original Tracker and Ultra devices. It also isn't a wristband-style like the popular Nike Fuelband or Jawbone Up. Even so, the Zip is still extremely portable, weighing a mere 8 grams (0.28-ounce), and it measures just 1.1 inches tall by 1.4 inches wide. At 0.38-inch thick, the pebble-shaped Zip also slips into tight pockets without much stress.

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Clip the Zip to pockets or place in it inside them.
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In fact, I was able to place the device into my jeans when it was still inside its silicone-and-metal clip. Of course, Fitbit says that while the Zip will function just fine resting free in pants pockets, it envisions that most people will fasten the device securely to belt loops or even clip it to their pocket linings.

Take care how you place the Zip on your person, however, since if it's not secured tightly it can become dislodged. This is especially true if it comes in contact often with heavy messenger bags or other large clothing items.

It seems that today's designers and marketers can't resist painting their product in various candy colors, and the Zip is no exception. The device itself comes in five hues: blue, magenta, white, charcoal, and lime. Fitbit also bundles a color-coordinated clip for each Zip flavor.

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Choose your favorite color.
Fitbit

Aside from the stamp-size LCD screen and Fitbit logo on front, the device's smooth, curved surface is unadorned. Around back is a compartment housing the Zip's 3-volt lithium-ion battery, which Fitbit claims will last for four to six months. One big drawback to the monochrome LCD is that it lacks a backlight, making it all but useless in the dark.

Features The main purpose of the Fitbit Zip is identical to that of its predecessor: to log your activity level in terms of steps taken. It then uses this base figure to calculate total distance traveled and calories burned. The device also displays the current time plus a playful smiley icon if it detects you're moving around enough. If the Zip feels you're getting lazy, however, its smiley will rudely stick out its virtual tongue. Since there are no physical buttons on the Zip, you must tap it to cycle through its various screens.

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Getting lazy? The Fitbit Zip lets you know it.
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One of the most useful new features included on the Fitbit Zip is its ability to sync wirelessly via Bluetooth connection. That's a big improvement over the company's previous devices, namely the Fitbit Ultra, which required an unwieldy USB base station, connected by a long cord to a PC, to transfer activity data up to the cloud. Of course, the old base stations talked to the Ultra wirelessly too, but the new arrangement is more portable.

Brian Bennett is senior editor for appliances at CNET and reviews a wide range of household and smart-home products. These include everything from microwave ovens, blenders, ranges and coffee makers to personal weather stations. An NYC native, Brian now resides in bucolic Louisville, Kentucky where he dreams of someday owning the sparkling house of the future.
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